Communication path selection for content delivery

• US 9,887,914 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2014
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fastly Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fastly Incorporated
• Inventors: Bergman, Artur
• Primary Examiner(s): Bengzon, Greg C
• Application Number:
  US14/488,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20150222535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/70 Routing based on monitoring results
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and software for modifying a communication path based on latency. In one example, a method of operating a content node to alter a communication path includes identifying latency data for a plurality of end user devices communicating with the content node, and identifying that the one or more end user devices in the plurality of end user devices exceed a latency threshold based on the latency data. The method further includes, in response to identifying that the one or more end user devices in the plurality of end user devices exceed the latency threshold, modifying the communication path between the content node and the one or more end user devices by modifying a domain name system (DNS) configuration for the content node.

Claims

1. A method of operating a content node that caches content in a content delivery network to adjust a communication path between the content node and one or more end user devices, the method comprising:

Receiving a content request comprising a domain name from a first end user device of the one or more end user devices;

identifying latency data for a plurality of end user devices communicating with the content node;

determining, within the content node, that the one or more end user devices, in the plurality of end user devices, exceed a latency threshold when communicating with the content node through a first Content Delivery Internet Service Provider (CDISP), associated with a first Internet Protocol (IP) address for the content node, based on the latency data; and

in response to determining that the one or more end user devices in the plurality of end user devices exceed the latency threshold, modifying the communication path between the content node and the one or more end user devices to utilize a second Content Delivery Internet Service Provider (CDISP), by modifying a domain name system (DNS) configuration for the content node, wherein the modifying comprises identifying a second Internet Protocol (IP) address for said content node, associated with the second Content Delivery Internet Service Provider (CDISP), to be provided to the first end user device; and

delivering the requested content through the second Content Delivery Internet Service Provider (CDISP).

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying one or more additional end user devices related to the one or more end user devices; and

responsive to identifying the one or more additional end user devices, modifying a second communication path between the content node and the one or more additional end user devices by altering the DNS configuration for the content node.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein altering the DNS configuration for the content node comprises altering an Internet Protocol (IP) address provided to the one or more additional end user devices for the content node.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein identifying the one or more additional end user devices related to the one or more end user devices comprises identifying the one or more additional end user devices using the same Internet Service Provider as the one or more end user devices.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more end user devices and the one or more additional end user devices comprise end user devices within a range of IP addresses.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the latency data comprises at least timing information for satisfying content requests.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the latency threshold comprises a predefined latency time for satisfying content requests.

8. A computer apparatus to operate a content node that caches content in a content delivery network, the computer apparatus comprising:

processing instructions that direct the content node, when executed by the content node, to;

identify latency data for a plurality of end user devices communicating with the content node;

identify that one or more end user devices in the plurality of end user devices exceed a latency threshold when communicating with the content node through a first Content Delivery Internet Service Provider (CDISP), associated with a first Internet Protocol (IP) address for the content node, based on the latency data; and

in response to identifying that the one or more end user devices in the plurality of end user devices exceed the latency threshold, modify a communication path between the content node and the one or more end user devices to utilize a second Content Delivery Internet Service Provider (CDISP), by modifying a domain name system (DNS) configuration, wherein the modifying comprises identifying a second Internet Protocol (IP) address for the content node, associated with the second Content Delivery Internet Service Provider (CDISP), to be provided to the one or more end user devices in response to a request for content comprising a domain name;

deliver the requested content through the second Content Delivery Internet Service Provider (CDISP); and

one or more non-transitory computer readable media that store the processing instructions.

9. The computer apparatus of claim 8 wherein the processing instructions further direct the content node to:

identify one or more additional end user devices related to the one or more end user devices; and

modify a second communication path between the content node and the one or more additional end user devices by altering the DNS configuration for the content node.

10. The computer apparatus of claim 9 wherein the processing instructions to modify the second communication path between the content node and the one or more additional end user devices by altering the DNS configuration for the content node direct the content node to modify the communication path between the content node and the one or more additional end user devices by altering an Internet Protocol (IP) address provided to the one or more additional end user devices for the content node.

11. The computer apparatus of claim 9 wherein the processing instructions to identify the one or more additional end user devices related to the one or more end user devices direct the content node to identify the one or more additional end user devices using the same Internet Service Provider as the one or more end user devices.

12. The computer apparatus of claim 9 wherein the one or more end user devices and the one or more additional end user devices comprise end user devices within a range of IP addresses.

13. The computer apparatus of claim 8 wherein the latency data comprises at least timing information for satisfying content requests.

14. The computer apparatus of claim 13 wherein the latency threshold comprises a predefined latency time for satisfying content requests.